Religious tensions eased in Sri Lanka after new Government: US

Saturday, 17 October 2015 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Washington, DC: The United States says religious tensions have eased in Sri Lankan after the new Government took office and staked out a much more tolerant view.

Speaking at the release of the 2014 Report on International Religious Freedom Wednesday, David Saperstein, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom at the US State Department said the new Government had staked out a more tolerant view.

“After years of growing religious tensions and violence in Sri Lanka generated by hardline ethnic Buddhist groups, a new Government has taken office and staked out a much more tolerant view of religious diversity,” Saperstein said

“Since that time, some of these tensions have noticeably eased,” the official observed.

The 2014 Report on International Religious Freedom said the Sri Lankan authorities tacitly condoned harassment and violence, particularly by Buddhist nationalist groups, against religious minorities last year.